Talking book

ABSTRACT

A TEACHING DEVICE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY TEACHING THE READING AND PRONOUNCING OF WORDS IS DESCRIBED WHICH INCLUDES THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF A BOOK, A TAPE PLAYER WITHIN THE HOUSING, A PRERECORDED TAPE CARTRIDGE AND A PRINTED BOOK DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING, THE MATERIAL PRINTED IN THE BOOK CORRESPONDING TO THE MATERIAL RECORDED ON THE TAPE.

R. E- PAIGE TALKING BOOK Jan. 12, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27. 1969 INVENTOR. R/r/m/d E. Paige Hox/bfaimfu/l 8 Hapgood By Dov/s,

Affomeys Jan.12, 1971 R.EI.PAIGEI TALKING BOOK 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 27, 1969 mfwm m m 0M mm 3 2 m m H .m

United States Patent 3,553,851 TALKING BOOK Richard E. Paige, 215 E. 68th St., New York, N.Y. 10021 Filed Mar. 27, 1969, Ser. No. 811,148 Int. Cl. G09b /04; Gllb 5/78 US. Cl. 35-8 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A teachin-g device for simultaneously teaching the reading and pronouncing of words is described which includes the combination of a housing having the appearance of a book, a tape player within the housing, a prerecorded tape cartridge and a printed book detachably mounted on the housing, the material printed in the book corresponding to the material recorded on the tape.

BACKGROUND combines sight word recognition with phonetics and proper pronunciation. The method is suitable for use by adults learning a new language as well as by children.

Many devices have been employed to utilize these concepts, such as a conventional phonograph, a record, and a related book. However, the devices to date have not been amenable to easy portability and convenient usage, thus tending to discourage the use of these devices. For example, the phonograph, record, and book consists of three independent, separate and bulky elements which must be transported by the user unless the user is willing to always use these devices in one location. Recently, a toy-like device has been introduced to the market which is a single unit in the form of a book and which includes a manually operable, spring loaded talking device which is operated by pulling a string and, during the springoperated rewind, a simulated voice is heard speaking approximately one sentence for each pull of the string. This device is limited to a single text directed to the particular book in which it is mounted and, consequently, an entire new device must be purchased each time a new subject is desired.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to pro- 'vide a teaching device for the simultaneous teaching of reading and pronunciation, which device is easily portable, and may be carried, held and used by a child like an ordinary book, and which provides for interchangeability of recorded and printed textual material.

DESCRIPTION Briefly stated, this invention, in one form, comprises a housing having a shape, size and appearance of a book, in which is mounted a magnetic tape player adapted to receive a cartridge having a prerecorded endless tape. This housing is also provided with a pocket in the top wall thereof to receive one cover of a book; the book text corresponding to the matter recorded on the tape. One of the covers of the book is provided with a container for housing the tape cartridge when on display or not being used.

3,553,851 Patented Jan. 12, 1971 The combination of the housing in the form of a book, the tape player, the prerecorded cartridge, and the book form an integral portable unit providing simultaneous corresponding printed and oral textural material serving as an excellent teaching device for word recognition as well as correct pronunciation.

The objectives and advantages of this talking book will be better appreciated and understood from the detailed description below and from the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a teaching device formed in accordance with a first embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the teaching device of FIG. 1 shown open and in use,

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the teaching device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 includes perspective views of each of the components of the teaching device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a printed book and tape cartridge forming part of the teaching device of this invention,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a teaching device formed in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the teaching device of FIG. 6 shown closed,

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective 'view of a portion of the teaching device formed in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the housing portion of the second embodiment,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the printed book shown mounted on a sales display rack.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly FIGS. 1 through 4, there is illustrated a teaching device 10 formed in accordance with a first embodiment of this invention and having four basic elements, a housing 12, a tape playback apparatus 14, tape cartridge or cassette 16 enclosing a prerecorded endless tape 17 therein, and a book 18.

The housing 12 is formed of a bottom portion 20 having four side walls 22, 24, 26, 28 and a bottom wall 30. A slot 32 is provided through one of the side walls 24. Three side walls, for example walls 22, 24, 26, are decorated to look like the edges of pages of a book and the fourth side wall 28 is decorated to look like a book binding. The housing also includes a top portion 34 having a top wall 35, four side walls, only two of which, 36, 38, are illustrated in FIG. 3. One of the side walls 38 has a slot 40 therethrough, the slot 40 corresponding in size and location to the slot 32 through the side wall 24 of the bottom portion 20. The housing further includes a U-shaped sleeve 42 having an outer wall 44 and at least two depending side walls 46, 48. The outer wall 44 of the sleeve 42 and the bottom wall 30 of the bottom portion 20 are decorated to look like the front and back covers of a book, respectively. Each of the elements forming the housing, that. is the bottom portion 20, the top portion 34, and the sleeve 42 may be formed of molded plastic, wood, heavy paper board or other suitable material.

The three portions forming the housing 12 fit together in telescoping fashion as may be seen in FIG. 3. More specifically, the top portion 34 tfits within the bottom portion 20 to lie substantially flush with the upper edge of the side walls of the bottom portion. The sleeve 42 slides between theside walls of the top portion and the side walls of the bottom portion, the side walls 46, 48 of the sleeve having a length suflicient to provide a slight clearance '49 between the inner surface 50 of the outer wall 44 and the outer surface 52 of the top wall 35. When the three portions are assembled to form the housing, the housing has the size, shape and appearance of a book (see FIG. 4).

An electrically operated magnetic tape player 14 resides within the housing 12 between the bottom portion 20 and top portion 34. The player 14 has a slot 54 corresponding in size and location to the slots 32 and 40 through the bottom portion 20 and top portion 34, respectively, of the housing 12. The tape player 14 is conventional and commercially available and is battery powered, although it can be adapted to include a cord for plug-in operation so that the battery can be conserved for times when an electricity source is not available. A start switch is located within the slot 54 and the player is actuated by insertion of a tape cartridge 16. The tape cartridge houses an endless tape 17 which has been prerecorded and is ready for playback. The material that is recorded on the tape corresponds to or, for some purposes, is identical to the textual material appearing in the book 1 8. Standard controls 57, such as volume and track selection for a multitrack system, are provided on the top of the tape player and are accessible through the top wall 35 of the top portion 34 of the housing. A speaker is mounted immediately below a speaker opening 58 in the top of its player. These locations for the controls and speaker are preferable; however, other locations, such as through a side wall or bottom wall, are satisfactory also. Corresponding to the speaker opening 58 and aligned therewith is an aperture 62 extending through the top wall 35 of the top portion 34.

The printed book 18, best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, include a cover having a front page 68 and rear page 70 and a plurality of intermediate pages 72 on which are printed textual material corresponding to the textual material recorded on the tape 17. The front cover page 68 has a width extending from the binding line approximately twice that of the width of the rear cover page 70 so that the front cover page can be folded in half, forming a primary portion 74 and a secondary portion 76. An aperture 78 is provided through the primary portion 74 and a plastic transparent container 80 is inserted through the aperture 78. The container 80 is formed with outwardly extending flanges 82 on the inner edge of the side walls thereof which abut against the inside surface of the primary portion 74. The flanges 82 prevent the plastic container 80 from sliding through the aperture 78; however, to further insure against this contingency, the container can be bonded to the inside surface of the primary portion 74 by applying glue along the inside surface of the flanges .82. The aperture 78 and container 80 are of a size appropriate to house the tape cartridge 16. With the cartridge inserted through the aperture from the inside of the primary portion 74, the secondary portion 76 is folded to lie juxtaposed to the inside surface of the primary portion 74 thus closing the container 80 and providing a storage compartment for the cartridge 16.

When it is desired to use a particular book, the rear cover page 70 is inserted in the clearance 49 between the outer wall 44 of the sleeve 42. and the top wall 35 of the top portion 34 (see FIG. 4). The corresponding cartridge 16 is removed easily by merely moving the secondary portion 76 of the front cover page away from the primary portion 74 thus exposing the cartridge. In this manner the cartridge storage compartment can be reused as contrasted with conventional blister packs or other packaging methods wherein the enveloping material is broken in order to remove the contents. Furthermore, many different books and cartridges can be used with one playback apparatus because the books and cartridges are extremely easy to remove and replace.

The second embodiment of this invention, illustrated in FIGS. 6 thru 9, is very similar to the first embodiment and includes the basic concept of providing a unique, integral teaching device which is self contained, readily portable, and which provides the combination of simu1- taneous oral and visual instruction with the ability to vary the lessons easily at will. The primary difference be tween the first and second embodiment is in the construction of the housing of the device.

The teaching device which forms the second embodiment comprises a housing 102 having a bottom wall 104, four side walls 106, 108, 110, 112 and a top wall 114 hingedly attached to one of the side walls 106. The bottom wall, side walls and top walls are suitably designed to give the appearance of a book and one of the side walls, namely wall 110, is provided with a slot 116 to receive a tape cartridge 16. A pocket 118 is formed on the inside surface of the top wall by either attaching a plastic, cloth or paper sheet 120 to the inside surface of the top wall 114 along three edges of the sheet or by attaching an envelope to the inside of the top wall 114.

The tape player 14, which is shorter than the housing 102, is placed within the housing and retained therein by a tight fitting enclosure 122 which fits over the player 14 and within the housing 102. The enclosure 122 is provided with a slot 124 corresponding in location to the slot 116 in the housing and the slot 54 in the tape player. The enclosure is formed with a stepped configuration providing a compartment 126 to receive a plurality of cartridges for storage, as is best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. The enclosure 122 is provided with an aperture 127 corresponding in location to the speaker opening 58 of the player. The enclosure also is provided with apertures 128, 130 to receive control knobs 57 on the player 14 which, in the form illustrated in FIG. 6, are located on the top thereof.

The printed book 136 to be used with the second embodiment 100 may be identical to the book 18 described above. However, since the pocket 118 is on the inside of the top wall 114, the front cover page of the book is inserted in the pocket permitting the book to lie flat on the enclosure (see FIG. 6). The cartridge and plastic container are removed from the book cover when it is in use. The container may be stored in the compartment 126.

As can be seen from the drawings and the above discussion, this invention provides a teaching device in the form of a book which contains a tape player for providing oral instrution and a book for providing visual instruction, with the visual and oral instruction corresponding to one another. The teaching device is inexpensive, easy to operate, convenient to use and is readily portable which makes it highly conducive for use by both children and adults, particularly for study purposes but which may also serve as an enjoyable diversion, such as story telling.

Commercially, the detachable story or lesson books make posible an endles library of subjects to be sold and used in conjunction with one tape-playing book. As illustrated in FIG. 10, by providing a hole 138 through the top of the book, a number of books can be displayed on a rack 140 for sales purposes.

While only one printed book design has been described it is envisioned that other designs may be used. For example, the cartridge container 80 can be located in the rear cover page so that when used with the teaching device 100 illustrated in FIG. 8, the container is received in the compartment 126 without the need for removing it from the printed book. Furthermore, the printed book and tape cartridge need not be packaged as a single unit and the cover of the printed book need not include a container.

I claim:

1. A teaching device for simultaneously teaching the reading and pronouncing of words, comprising, in combination, a housing having the appearane of a book, the housing including a bottom wall having the appearance of a back cover of a book, three side walls having the appearance of edges of book pages, a fourth side Wall having the appearance of a binding and a top wall having the appearance of a front cover of a book, a slot through one of the walls thereof and a pocket in the top wall, a magnetic tape player within the housing, the player adapted to receive a tape cartridge and having a slot corresponding in size to the housing slot and aligned therewith, a tape cartridge having a prerecorded endless tape, the cartridge being received within the player by insertion thereof through the slots in the housing and player, a printed book including front and rear cover pages, the printed book being detachably mounted on the housing by insertion of one of the cover pages in the pocket, the printed book containing text corresponding to the matter recorded on the tape, the combination of the housing, player, cartridge and printed book forming an integral, portable unit providing simultaneous, corresponding written and oral textual material.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the printed book includes a container for storing, displaying and protecting the tape cartridge.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein one of the covers of the printed book includes a primary portion and a secondary portion, the primary portion being hingedly attached to the other of the covers and the secondary portion being hingedly attached to a free edge of the primary portion and lying contiguous to the inside surface of the primary portion, the primary portion having an aperture therethrough and a container projecting outwardly from the primary portion, the aperture and container having a size approximately the same as the cartridge, the container and secondary portion in combination providing a storage compartment for the cartridge.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 where the player has a length less than the length of the housing providing for the formation of a compartment for storage t cartridges. l 2

5. A device as defined in claim 4 including an enclosure, the enclosure having a first portion to receive the tape player and a reessed portion, the enclosure being telescopingly received by the housing, the recessed portion forming the compartment.

6. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the top Wall of the housing is hingedly mounted to one of the side walls and wherein the pocket is formed on the inside surface of the top wall.

7. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a bottom portion having a bottom Wall and four side walls, a top portion having a top wall and at least two side walls which are telescopingly received by the bottom portion, the tape player being enclosed between the bottom and top portions and a U-shaped sleeve having an outer wall and two end walls, the end walls being telescopingly received by the bottom portion, and providing a clearance between the outer wall of its sleeve and the top wall of the top portion in which a rear cover of the printed books is inserted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,273,894 9/1966 Clawson 8(.l)X 3,285,613 11/1966 Hallamore 27411 3,352,027 11/1967 Schwartz 358(.1)

WILLIAM H. GRIEB, Primary Examiner s. or. X.R 274-1 1, 

